Cultural Calendar

Nov. 11 is Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth of Nations, of which Canada is a member. It was originally created to honour the veterans of the First World War, and was extended to honour veterans of all wars. On that day, wear a poppy and find or watch online a Remembrance Day ceremony near you. Have a great November everyone – the holiday season is just around the corner!

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Fragments of Love by Majie Lavergne

Nov. 3–Dec. 17

www.lecentreculturel.com

From Nov. 3 to Dec. 17, artist Majie Lavergne will present his exhibition “Fragments of Love” at Le Centre culturel. In each painting, he deconstructed the word L-O-V-E into lines and circles in various configurations. Yet, as the “E” of LOVE lands at the bottom right of each painting, with constancy and stability, it reminds us that just like the sun, sometimes hiding behind the clouds, love too, is always present. Stylistically, he looks for the play between geometrical and organic shapes and how this rich interface creates a dynamic visual dance. Finally, he fell in love with the new art medium; “alcohol ink.” The amazing and magical colours and unpredictable unfolding of this medium fill him up with joy.

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Sannidhanam – Sacred Spaces by Rama Vaidyanathan + Ensemble

Nov. 8–15

www.thedancecentre.ca

Sannidhanam is a new work choreographed by the world-renowned Indian Bharatanatyam artist Rama Vaidyanathan. It is inspired by the significance of symbols in Indian philosophy, using the precise grammar and lines of Bharatanatyam to depict a sacred geometry. Performed by eight dancers including Vaidyanathan, this is an unmissable opportunity to experience the work of one of the most celebrated Bharatanatyam dancers of her generation. Check out the Dance Centre’s website for more information.

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Portraits From A Fire

Streaming Nov. 9

www.photonfilms.ca

Portraits From A Fire is a coming-of-age film that follows Tyler, an eccentric and lonely teenager who spends his days filmmaking, vlogging his Indigenous community, and hanging out with his grandparents. The film follows Tyler’s journey to heal the wounds of the past by opening them once again. And by finding the courage to face the fear of the unknown, he weaves together the strong sacred bonds of family through both living and ancestral realms. The film will be available on VOD across Canada on all major platforms.

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Ronak K. Kapadia: On the Skin: Drone Warfare, Collateral Damage, and the Human Terrain

Nov. 10, 4:30 p.m.

www.events.sfu.ca/event/25953-ronak-k-kapadia-on-the-skin-drone-warfare

This talk will explore University of Illinois associate professor Ronak Kapadia’s research into the contemporary multimedia art works by Iraqi American artist Wafaa Bilal and American artist elin o’Hara slavick, as a meditation on how the violence of U.S. imperial and aerial warfare across the long twentieth century has devastated humans, animals and social ecologies in the Greater Middle East. Together, these artists powerfully attest to the violent expanse of postwar U.S. geopolitical power around the globe and make palpable the “sensorial life of empire.” Check out SFU Event’s website for the link to the webinar and more information.

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Nella Larsen’s Passing: A Watch Party & Panel Discussion

Nov. 10, 6:15–9 p.m.

www.publichumanities.ubc.ca/events/event/nella-larsens-passing-a-watch-party-panel-discussion

The Public Humanities Hub invites you to a watch party of Netflix’s new film Passing (directed by Rebecca Hall) based on American novelist Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel of the same name. Larsen’s novel has been read by scholars across intersections of race, class, sexuality and gender. Post-screening, the PHH will host a discussion moderated by interdisciplinary scholars who work on projects related to the intersectional conversations around the novel. For more information, check out UBC Public Humanities’ website.

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Circle Craft

Nov. 10–14

www.signatures.ca/circle-craft

The Circle Craft Christmas Market is a premier showcase of excellence in Canadian craft and design, encompassing traditional, contemporary, one-of-kind and production works. Since 1972, the show has been a Vancouver tradition for locals and visitors alike, and is Western Canada’s largest craft market, featuring hundreds of craftspeople and artisans from coast-to-coast. Check them out at the Vancouver Convention Centre for an experience like no other to connect with their unique craft community.

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25th Annual Eastside Culture Crawl

Nov. 12–14; 18–21

www.culturecrawl.ca

Each November – for 25 years and counting – the Eastside Arts Society [EAS] has produced the Eastside Culture Crawl Visual Arts, Design & Craft Festival, in which artists in Vancouver’s Eastside open their studios to the public. The event involves painters, jewellers, sculptors, furniture makers, weavers, potters, printmakers, photographers, glassblowers – ranging from emerging artists to those internationally established. Check out their online program guide on their website for more information about this year’s crawl.

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Farm to Fable

Farm to Fable: A course of hilarity is on the menu. | Photo courtesy of The Cultch

Nov. 17–21

www.thecultch.com

Surprisingly hilarious, surprisingly touching and surprisingly delicious. A new kind of dinner theatre. The Cultch will be presenting Farm to Fable as part of their Fall 2021 theatre season from Nov. 17 to 21. Nadine is juggling a lot. Her dream restaurant has closed, she broke up with her boyfriend and has moved in with her mother. To get back on her feet she has pivoted to creating an online cooking show. A hilarious and melancholy turn by actress Meaghan Chenosky who always tries to make a meal out of things. For tickets and more information, check out The Cultch’s website.

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IronFest: A Fall Jazz Concert Series

Nov. 18–20

www.coastaljazz.ca

The Coastal Jazz & Blues Society will present IronFest: A Fall Jazz Concert Series from Nov. 18 to 20 at The Ironworks at 235 Alexander Street. The concert series features six performances over a period of three nights. These concerts mark the return to live performances that began with the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival this past summer. The lineup for the inaugural IronFest series include guitarist Bill Coon and his Quartet, singer Emad Armoush, vocalist Krystle Dos Santos, the trio group Handmade Blade, bassist Jodi Proznick and bassist James Meger. For tickets and more information, check out the Coastal Jazz’s website.

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Vancouver Podcast Festival

Nov. 20

www.vanpodfest.ca

The Vancouver Podcast Festival, presented by DOXA (The Documentary Media Society), returns for a one-day, virtual experience on Nov. 20. The focus for 2021 is on education in the form of workshops and panels, serving the local and national podcasting community. The conference-style day will feature two social/networking events, two masterclasses and two roundtables. The festival is dedicated to highlighting the power and potential of podcasts, bringing together local podcast creators with national and international series and deepening the discussion around audio documentary and its potential for education and community building. Check out the festival’s website for a full program guide.